Tomo-Chan Is a Girl: Season 1/ Episode 10 “How The Contests Ends; To Stay Best Friends…” – Recap/ Review

Alongside fleshing out why Jun didn’t talk to Tomo for a year and his short relationship with Misuzu, he finally earns his Gameboy back.

Aired (Crunchyroll)	March 8, 2023
Director(s)	Hazuki Mizumoto
Writer(s)	Kazuki Nishitani
Previously Noted Characters
Misuzu	Rina Hidaka
Tomo	Rie Takahashi
Jun	Kaito Ishikawa
Carol	Sally Amaki

Recap

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The Year Absence – Misuzu, Tomo, Jun

Multiple times we were told about the year Jun stopped talking to Tomo and even dated Misuzu, but some details were missing. In the latter half of the episode, we’re given answers. For example, Jun’s insecurity regarding Tomo making other friends and rumors about them dating led to him abandoning her and ending up alone.

Also, the reason he and Misuzu dated is dived into further. For Jun, he saw it as a way back into Tomo’s life after being absent for a year. Because if he had a girlfriend, it wouldn’t be an issue for them to be close. Now, he recognizes that using someone to get back into Tomo’s life is wrong, but she is his only friend.

As for Misuzu? She, too, was feeling a bit insecure. Tomo is athletic and into many things which are masculine, and meanwhile, Misuzu is dainty and femme. So she worried she couldn’t keep up, and that would drive them apart. Hence her wanting someone to maybe slow Tomo down long enough so that she could enjoy her longer. Enter Jun, who seemed perfect until she realized he was a male version of Tomo.

Which leads to them both realizing the only way to keep Tomo is to talk to her. For Misuzu, when she talks about her and Tomo not being friends anymore, Tomo handles that quickly and makes it clear they don’t need to be the same, with the exact interests to be friends.

As for Jun? Things are more complicated. Between Jun not knowing she was a girl all this time, and running away and avoiding her just because people assumed they were dating and he thought that would make life hard for her? She punches him repeatedly. But, once it is agreed upon they won’t let outsiders affect their relationship, they reconcile and are back to how they always were.

How Can We Make This Last Forever? – Misuzu, Tomo, Jun, Carol

Jumping back to their teen years, the day of a marathon leads to a rare moment in history: Tomo being vulnerable. While racing Jun, in a school-wide race, Tomo collapses due to running the night before, after dinner, and seemingly not having enough fuel in her tank. This leads to Jun carrying her across the finish line and into the infirmary. There, Misuzu and Carol push for her to use this opportunity to be seen and treated like she needs help – which Tomo isn’t completely against. Especially when she gets a piggyback ride down to the taxi her mom got.

But, the big to-do ultimately isn’t the vulnerability but Jun beating Tomo at something. This leads to Tomo giving Jun his Gameboy back. Which means the main obstacle to Jun taking Tomo’s feelings seriously are gone, and he can begin to truly process Tomo not only being a girl but one he is attracted to.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Is Misuzu asexual?
2. When did Tanabe start to get involved in Jun’s life, in some capacity?

What Could Happen Next

1. With it clicking in Jun’s mind that Tomo is cute and him mentally saying he wants what they have to last, maybe he may make a romantic move she can reciprocate?

Review

Highlights

Additional Details On The Missing Year

The missing year has been visited before, but the details were very need to know. Now, we have an understanding of what caused the year’s absence to happen and even why Tomo and Misuzu dated from both of their perspectives. Thus allowing the foundation to feel fortified in ways that, while how Misuzu and Tomo formed a friendship, never mind how their moms bonded, still needs to be explored, when it comes to Tomo and Jun? We got more than the gist.

Tomo’s Reaction To Misuzu Regarding Thinking They Can’t Be Friends

Again and again, we’re reminded that just because Tomo may not be academically smart, it doesn’t mean she isn’t across the board. While communicating with friends, it shows she has an emotional intelligence. She can see when people may have an issue and can reach a solution with them.

In the case of Misuzu, she can understand why Misuzu worries about keeping up and all that, but as noted with her athlete and doctor comparison, you don’t have to be the same to get along. And mind you, Tomo was younger than she is now when she said that. So imagine the state she is in within early high school.

Tomo’s Reaction To Jun Coming Back Into Her Life

I don’t think you can underestimate the pain Tomo felt. Her best friend, someone who she accidentally molded into her equal, cut her off. He stopped talking to her, ignored her, and didn’t say why. They fought before, countless times and found a way to fight or talk it out. So what made this different?

Oh, third-party conversations? That’s all it takes? I would be pissed too. Especially if dating rumors were all it took. But, as shown, communication can often solve most things, and once they talked and Jun got decked a few times, things went back to normal, and they recommitted to one another.

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